Edmonton extends Chinatown vibrancy funds amid ongoing safety concerns
Posted January 16, 2025 1:04 pm.
Last Updated January 16, 2025 1:08 pm.
Funding for festivals and events in Edmonton’s Chinatown has been extended for an additional two years.
Edmonton’s Chinatown Vibrancy Fund will invest $480,000 per year in 2025 and 2026.
The fund was launched in April 2024 and dedicated an initial $480,000 towards more than a dozen projects like Chinatown Dining Week, the Edmonton Dragon Festival and Van Bloc Party.
The goal is to revitalize and attract visitors to the historic Edmonton neighbourhood that has been affected by social disorder and crime in recent years.
In May 2022, two men were attacked and killed in Chinatown; the shock of the crime spurred calls for change and began the process for a Chinatown recovery plan.
City officials also responded by increasing the number of police and peace officers in Chinatown. That two-year pilot project ended in December 2024.
Safety concerns remain high in the neighbourhood, with business owners recently telling CityNews about the persistence of homelessness and drug use.
“All staff are scared,” Shirley Tang, a baker at Hong Kong Bakery in Chinatown, told CityNews last week. “Scared that the homeless come in because sometimes they sleep at the front door and block the door. They bang on the window, they hit the window.”
Edmonton police say they have seen a decrease in reported crime in areas they target for patrol.
The city says it wants to turn Chinatown into “a destination for all Edmontonians,” and the fund is stepping stone towards that.
“We want to uplift and celebrate all of the incredible things that Chinatown has to offer, both as a historic hub and economic driver in our city,” Mayor Amarjeet Sohi said in a news release. “That means investing in community-led projects and events that create momentum and have a lasting impact on this dynamic neighbourhood.”
The city is asking community groups and organizations to apply for this new funding. Project proposals should focus on how they would development the area economically, celebrate Chinatown, and improve safety.
Applications will close Feb. 28.
